Promantic Proof from the Number Four

ardor for promoting it, with which this most Catholic House is kindled, and which it has instituted and caused to be instituted—so many councils, so many diets, so many public assemblies and actions, so many abstinences, fasts, public prayers, and FORTY-hour devotions, and other most pious exercises? Who could describe so many and such great wars, which it undertook and most bravely waged against such great and monstrous enemies of the orthodox faith and the fury of Turkish tyranny, with heroic virtue and countless expenses? Regarding this Zeal for the defense of the Faith, books could be written, have been written, and will be written by posterity. But that some unfortunate events sometimes intervened, let us impute that to our own sins, which GOD, by His most just Judgment, willed to punish with the heretical and Turkish rod, rather than to fate or to our best Princes. For that saying is not always true: "Whatever mad things the Kings do, the common people suffer," but much more truly Solomon left it written with great gravity: "Because of the offenses of the land or the People, its Princes are often punished," and the understanding Prince who sometimes yields from his Right and suffers some inconvenience, so that he may avoid greater inconveniences, possesses an Empire more durably. Truly, all of Germany, all the Kingdoms and Provinces subject to the Austrian Dominion owe immortal gratitude to their Princes, especially our most Catholic FERDINANDS, because by their virtue, providence, and vigilance, they have withstood the onslaughts of most powerful Enemies for so many years, suppressed Heresies, and exalted and propagated the orthodox faith in many places. But the Iniquity of wars and times caused this digression. Let us return to the FOURTH Number, whose mysteries and arcana, if it were allowed to probe more deeply, it would be discovered that Kingdoms and Empires are owed to FERDINAND THE FOURTH by a certain Fatal Law. For Pannonia, or Hungary, containing the FOURFOLD twice, imposed the Royal and Holy Diadem upon FERDINAND THE FOURTH as he completed his FOURTEENTH year with most auspicious signs, clearly demonstrating that the FOURTH is naturally joined to the FOURTH, and like enjoys like, by the same law of Nature.